Matt Stoller, writing at Naked Capitalism:

This increasing rigidity of the global economic order is frightening, and dangerous. It is the consequence of the new normal, Spanish and Wisconsin-colored flames licking up at the system be damned. One day, these protests won’t be leaderless, rudderless, and directionless. Perhaps the popular energy on that date will be channeled through an electoral system, perhaps not. Perhaps figures like New York AG Eric Schneiderman represent a new generation of leaders bent on restructuring our cultural obligations into a social contract that is stable and somewhat just.

One day a chunk of the elites will break away from this consensus, as the system experiences a breakdown that is so severe it threatens the interests of a powerful constituency group. For now, we will be watching the embers.

I’m not sure why Stoller presumes that elites breaking away from consensus will be a catalyst for better channeling popular energy. I’d presume that such an outcome is possible, but certainly not necessary nor sufficient for producing “a social contract that is stable and somewhat just.”